Rodney Hammond Jr., Pittsburgh Football News: Draft Scout Player News

11/05/22 - RB Rodney Hammond Jr., Sr/2025, Pittsburgh

Rodney Hammond ran for a career-high 124 yards and a touchdown while filling in for injured Israel Abanikanda and Pittsburgh shut down No. 22 Syracuse 17-9 on Saturday to end a two-game losing streak. The Panthers (5-4, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) relied heavily on Hammond and a defense that kept Orange freshman quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson in check in his first career start. Pitt sacked Del Rio-Wilson six times and limited the Orange (6-3, 3-2) to 145 total yards in beating Syracuse for the 18th time in the past 21 meetings of the longtime rivals.

C'Bo Flemister added a short touchdown run for Pitt as the defending ACC champions righted themselves after three losses in four games essentially ended any shot of them earning a second straight trip to the conference title game. Though quarterback Kedon Slovis failed to throw a touchdown pass for a fourth straight game - the USC transfer completed 16 of 23 for 178 yards and an ill-advised heave into the end zone in the first quarter that ended as an interception - Hammond and Flemister made up for it while doing a pretty solid Abanikanda impersonation. Hammond began the season expecting to split carries with Abanikanda only to get hurt during the season opener against West Virginia. Abanikanda took firm hold of the starting job in Hammond's absence, becoming the ACC's leading rusher in the process. - Pittsburgh/AP College Football

Sr/2025